First Nations, Metis and Inuit Programs

First Nations, Metis and Inuit Programs

In conjunction with curriculum requirements, (and because it’s always fun to learn something new), Jacqueline now offers programs for kindergarten through grade twelve with a high aboriginal component.

Through research and consultation with teachers, the content of these programs is specifically created to compliment the First Nations, Metis and Inuit component students currently receive in school programming. These sessions cross curriculums and help students understand the background of aboriginal people and how they helped form the fabric of Canada.

Jacqueline’s FNMI programs are intended to help students explore and enjoy learning about Canada’s First Peoples.

For twenty years Jacqueline has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, Tanzania and Ghana championing literacy. She has presented to students and teachers in over 2000 schools.

Canada’s Aboriginal People

FNMI Kindergarten – Grade 2

This sixty-minute PPT session introduces students to Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples, the First Nation’s, Metis and Inuit, in a way that all can understand and enjoy. By concentrating on aspects today’s students understand, young minds see how these early Canadians lived in the past. We learn about traditional housing, food and clothing for each group giving young explorers a glimpse of how indigenous peoples lived in early Canada. Children then get to peek into the ‘Time Travelling Suitcase’ which contains various artefacts from each of the groups. Students are allowed to handle these artefacts and then, using our new knowledge, they must decide which of the three groups the item belonged to. Our young archeologists then use a map of Canada to show the class where the people who owned the artefacts lived. This program offers a great starting point for students to understand how early Canadians survived and encourages discussion on how today’s aboriginal people live and are a part of mainstream society.

Requirements: PPT projector and screen or Smartboard, table

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies

Pourquois Stories

FNMI Grade 3 – 4

Oral story telling is integral to First Nation’s history and culture. Many fantasy stories exist on how the animals’ special adaptations came to be, such as how the beaver got his flat tale or how the mouse got his brown teeth. These are known as ‘Pourquois Stories’. In this sixty-minute PPT session, students explore Pourquois Stories, their construction, meaning and ability to entertain. Students choose their own animal, (wild or domestic), and investigate what they would deem is special about this animal. With tips on how to correctly construct a story, what to include and how to make it exciting, they then write their own pourquois stories. They create a story where the animal must use his ‘superpower’ to get himself or a friend out of a jam. All the stories will end with ‘…and that is why to this very day, the XYZs (their species), have ABC, (the special trait).’ Once this is complete, students will share their story with the rest of the class. An extension to this session allows for students to illustrate their story by choosing an exciting image that is representative of the tale, drawing it, and attaching the written story to the image.

Requirements: PPT Projector and screen or Smartboard. Students need paper and pencil and writing surface such as desk. Extra activity: crayons and paper for illustration.

Curriculum Connections: Language Arts and Social Studies

Metis History And Culture

FNMI Grade 4-7

The presentation carries a high Métis cultural component as well as tie-ins to First Nations and early prairie life and is a mix of literacy, history and culture illustrating Canada ’s wonderful past and the fascinating era of the Fur Trade. It is appropriate for Grades Four through Seven as the vocabulary, content and complexness is adjusted for the level of the audience. As this colourful time in our past is covered in depth in several grades, including four and seven, it acts as a complimentary teaching aid, reinforcing the classroom curriculum. The presentation is a full hour covering many pertinent topics such as: the major fur trading companies,traditional buffalo hunts, Red River Carts, First Nation’s tools including buffalo horn sewing needles, bone fishing hooks and many other actual artifacts to ensure the audience is both intrigued and engaged.

Requirements: Four long rectangular tables, with room in front for an interactive play with students. Please allow 45 minutes for set up.

Curriculum Connections: Language Arts and Social Studies

Remembering the Buffalo Hunt Through Journaling

FNMI Grade 5 – 9

This NINETY-minute PPT session challenges students to create a journal entry detailing their experience on the day of the Big Hunt. Imagining they are a First Nation’s boy or girl on a buffalo hunt, students are assigned a number which corresponds to one of four different groups that would have played their parts during the hunt: the scouts, hunters, harvesters or story tellers. With visual prompts that show what would be involved for that group during the hunt, students create a ‘journal entry’ describing their part and including a crisis to make the entry more exciting. These entries are read out loud, then students rewrite the entry, trying to include as many ‘show don’t tell’ moments that bring the story alive for the audience. Correct literary construction is emphasised with a template offered to help students. This session fosters insight into early First Nation’s life and challenges students to create a piece that incorporates their knowledge of how the buffalo hunt proceeded and how each person’s role was integral to the success of the hunt. The tools and tips from this session are transferable to all written work and students can face future assignments with confidence knowing they have the technical expertise to write it right!

Requirements: PPT Projector or Smartboard. Students require paper and pencil and writing surface such as desk or binder.

Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies

Classroom Feedback

What an absolute pleasure to have Jacqueline in our class today! My grade 6 students where all very engaged during her presentation. They responded and enjoyed the flash writing activity. Her personal passion for writing was evident and she was easily able to make my students embrace her energy! I highly recommend she visit your classroom.

Jen MacDougall, Teacher, Sister Mary Phillips School, Fort McMurray

FNMI Easy Key Elementary Writing Workshop

FNMI Grade 3 – 6

This sixty-minute PPT session teaches the basics on how to write a correct paragraph, short story or essay. Students learn what is essential to craft a piece of writing that will be technically correct and will score marks. Drawing on their knowledge of Canada’s aboriginal people, the First Nation’s, Metis and Inuit, students examine a visual prompt depicting a moment from history, then take their new technical expertise and construct a story that will not only entertain other classmates, but will be a conduit into our nation’s past. The format for writing a correct story is one that can be used in all their writing assignment, and is the same one I use when constructing a novel. Excellent for students who just don’t know how to begin to write a story!

Requirements: PPT Projector or Smartboard. Students need paper and pencil and writing surface such as desk or binder.

Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies

Teacher Feedback

What an absolute pleasure to have Jacqueline in our class today! My grade 6 students where all very engaged during her presentation. They responded and enjoyed the flash writing activity. Her personal passion for writing was evident and she was easily able to make my students embrace her energy! I highly recommend she visit your classroom.Jen MacDougall, Teacher, Sister Mary Phillips School, Fort McMurray

The Comic Book War: WW2 and Cosmic Comic Book Superheroes

FNMI Grade 7 – 9

In this sixty-minute PPT session, students discover how Canadians on the home front contributed to the war effort in WW2. They also learn how First Nation’s, Metis and Inuit soldiers were part of the war effort. Aboriginal soldiers we can all be proud of are highlighted helping students understand the contributions these unsung heroes made to the war effort. Students also learn about rationing, savings stamps, fat drives and those telegrams no family ever wanted to receive. The story involves a boy who is worried about his soldier brothers. The session shows that we all need coping strategies and that some are stranger than others – such as believing your comic book superheroes can save your three brothers fighting overseas. This fantastic premise to handling mental stress is an excellent conversation starter with students contributing their ideas as to whether the protagonists approach was feasible or not. Students can see and hold an actual meteorite, the vehicle that precipitated the strange happenings in the story.

Rights and Wrongs: History Gets Personal

FNMI Grade 9 – 12

In this sixty-minute PPT session, students act as a jury and must decide whether Louis Riel and the Metis people were traitors or were standing up for their rights. Students hear the underlying reasons for the Red River and North West Resistances, including land rights, religion, political and economic motives. They are presented with an in-depth explanation of the efforts the Metis people went to as they tried to avoid war. Prime Minister Macdonald’s reasons for insuring the insurrection occurred are also explained. My own family’s part in the resistance is incorporated into the session allowing students to humanise the events instead of simply seeing them as ancient history not connected to today’s world. After hearing the facts, the students vote as to whether justice was served and Riel fairly punished.

We had no idea that we were surrounded by so many young story-tellers! Jacqueline brought out the power of story in each and every one of our students, inspiring them to learn more about Canadian history, put themselves in others’ shoes, write beautifully descriptive journal entries, and share their work orally with their peers – all in 80 minutes! Our students and teachers loved the workshop, laughing and learning alongside Jacqueline. We can’t wait for her to come back!

What an absolute pleasure to have Jacqueline in our class today! My grade 6 students where all very engaged during her presentation. They responded and enjoyed the flash writing activity. Her personal passion for writing was evident and she was easily able to make my students embrace her energy! I highly recommend she visit your classroom.

I was the one who cracked your Morse code, and won your book when you visited our school! I read the whole thing when I got home from school, and I loved it! I just wanted to asked about the ending of the story and when I read it I burst out in happy and sad tears! I was wondering if there is another book that continues the journey of Ailish, and her friend Paddy. I also would like to know if Davey comes back to visit her again. I will always read that book and never forget that ending!

Grade Five StudentOlivia

I would like to express my gratitude for your visit on Tuesday and contributing to our Literacy Week. Your presentations were amazing. You had our students engaged and interested. It was wonderful to see their interest and enjoyment. Your books are being asked about and talked about among our students. I have received so many positive comments from students and staff. Thanks for making my first Author Visit a memorable one.

Mrs. Rosa BicanicLearning Commons Librarian
St. Wilfrid Elementary

Excellent! I love Jacqueline’s Metis History and Culture Presentation. She makes it so much fun for the kids. Jacqueline is very personable and engaging, the kids love her!